A drought or government mandate to limit
watering can spell disaster for farms. Homeowners and groundskeepers who want
to keep lawns looking lush will just have to accept the fact that water
supplies are sparse. For farms, however, the inability to water crops can take
a deadly financial toll. Edward Sobczewski of
CiTC USA, which provides a vast supply of industrial products, proudly points to a recent effort in South
Africa that counters irrigation limitations.
According to Edward Sobczewski, the
first-ever EcoSolv water device has been installed in South Africa on a
strawberry farm that is seeing unprecedented returns. The 110-millimeter slip
is a plug-and-play type of addition to the irrigation efforts at Zetler's
Wynland Boerdery strawberry farm in Stellenbosch. The farm is approximately 30
miles east of Cape Town at the very bottom of sun-soaked South Africa. According
to CapeTown.travel, summers here average about three days of rainfall per
month. That total jumps slightly in the winter and spring – but not enough to
make do without the EcoSolv Water Enhancement device.
According to the EcoSolv website, the device “introduces
a swirling effect to water passing through. The effect will reduce the surface
tension of water, enhancing the penetration rate of water. It will enable the
same area of field to be watered with less water due to the improved spreading
ability of water.” It is presently being used to treat the water that’s
feeding four blocks of strawberries, which include the Barack, Monterey and
Fronteras varieties. What’s more, Edward Sobczewski says the device is also
being tested for use as a de-scaling and pipe-cleaning tool. This is in
addition to its soil-wetting attributes, which have been proven to enhance soil
moisture and nutrient availability in roots.
The EcoSolv device, made available to the agriculture industry through CiTC USA, has already seen effective applications stateside. This includes one fruit and vegetable farm in California, where the owner testified to the effectiveness of the water-enhancing component. The farm, which was made up of a lot of red clay soil, has been able to reduce watering frequency to 25 hours twice each week. In a state like California, where restrictions on water usage are common, Edward Sobczewski says the EcoSolv tool is crucial. It makes watering more effective and reduces utility bills through less frequent watering. It’s a win-win for the environment and industries that need to adapt to the needs of an ever-changing world.
